Dog vs no-dog - which is the happier household?

An opinion piece in Melbourne's The Age newspaper last week gave a very personal account of Helen and her dog Chloe.  As she recalls the final days in Chloe's life, it is obvious that having a dog in the house is important to Helen.  

But she finds that without a dog, she has a sense of freedom in her life.

This is a lovely article describing the conflict between living a "dog-free life" and having "the champagne factor" that comes with having a dog in the home.